Places to visit in Rajasthan: tourist attractions
When to go: October to March; the Pushkar fair is held in November and the Jaisalmer Desert Festival in February; Mount Abu is pleasant in summer.
Getting there: Airports at Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur and Bikaner; main railway stations at Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur.
Tourist attractions in Rajasthan
From historical forts and palaces in cities like Jaipur, Chittorgarh, Udaipur and Jodhpur to the beautiful temples of Mount Abu, Rajasthan indeed teems with tourist attractions of varied types. Some important wildlife reserves like Ranthambore, Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary and Sariska can also be added to the tourist attractions of this state. The desert that is so important a part of the state offers safaris that are of great interests to tourists visiting the state.
Beautiful buildings including the City Palace, Amber Fort and the landmark Hawa Mahal are some of the sites that attract majority of the tourists. Browsing through the markets one can witness skilled craftsmen displaying jewellery, paintings, carvings and colorful textiles and is an enjoyable experience for tourists.
The impressive Mehrangar Fort, near the Thar Desert in Rajasthan is known for its exotic beauty and grandeur. The magnificent Umaid Bhawan in the city of Jodhpur is another of the city’s landmark. Its museum contains many artifacts of the royal times of the city.
The fabulous lake palaces in Udaipur, the “white City of Rajasthan” set like white pearls in the shimmering waters of Lake Pichola provide a fabulous view. The carved mansions and Jain temples of Jaisalmer are worth seeing. The sand dunes at Sam, near Jaisalmer are the site of the annual Desert Festival. Here one can find a significant amount of Rajasthan’s art and handicrafts on display.
The memorable fort and town of Chittorgarh is synonymous with bravery and sacrifice. The Victory Tower or Vijay Stambha in Chittorgarh celebrates a victory in 1440 of Rana Kumbha, the ruler of Chittorgarh, over Mahmud Khalji the ruler of Malwa.
Plan your visit
The best time to visit each place, where to book on official sites, and more about it on this site. For hotels and tours across Rajasthan: RTDC hotels, IRCTC Tourism.
| Place | Best time to visit | Book (official sites) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jaipur (Amber Fort, City Palace, Hawa Mahal) | October to March; the Jaipur literature festival is in January | RTDC hotels | Rajasthan Cuisine, About Jaipur |
| Udaipur | September to March | RTDC hotels | About Udaipur |
| Jodhpur (Mehrangarh, Umaid Bhawan) | October to March; the Marwar festival is in October | RTDC hotels | Rajasthan Festivals, About Jodhpur |
| Jaisalmer | October to March; the Desert Festival is in February | RTDC hotels | Rajasthan Adventure, Rajasthan Festivals |
| Pushkar | October to March; the Pushkar camel fair is in October or November | RTDC hotels | Rajasthan Festivals |
| Mount Abu | March to June and September to December | RTDC hotels | About Mount Abu |
| Chittorgarh | October to March | ASI monument tickets | – |
| Ranthambore | October to June; March to May for tigers. The core zones close from 1 July to 30 September | Rajasthan forest safaris | Rajasthan Wildlife |
| Keoladeo (Bharatpur) | November to February, for migratory birds | Rajasthan forest safaris | Rajasthan Wildlife |
| Sariska | October to June | Rajasthan forest safaris | Rajasthan Wildlife |
Seasons, opening days and booking rules change; check the official site before you travel. Every booking link goes to a government or official site.